Threshing-machine.



4 SHEET$SHEET Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

D. LUCAS.

THRESHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. 1911.

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Wflmeooeo Ll-VIN MOGRAPH COHWASHINGTDN, D. C. I

D. LUCAS. v THRESHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. 191!- 1,1 58,944. Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- CBLUMIIA PLANOQRAPH COuWASHlNGTON, D. c.

D, LUCAS. THRESHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. 1911.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3 amuahco'g flanzalaaas 1 my W wi lmmow 6 from n21:

\ cu" WASHINGTON. n. c.

n. LUCAS. THRESHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. 1911.

1,158,944, Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COuWASHlNGTON, D. cv

"UNITED sirATns PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID LUCAS, 0F MADISON, KANSAS.

THRESHING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DAVID LUCAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Madison, in the county of Greenwood and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Threshing-Machines, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to threshing ma-' chines and grain stackers, and it has for its object to provide an improved construction of separating mechanism whereby the grain shall be separated from the straw and chad at an early stage, thus lightening the work of the machine.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a threshing machine constructed in. accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the. same. Figs. 3, 4., 5and 6 are transverse sectional views taken on the planes indicated by the lines 3-3, %1,'55 and 66 in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view showing the end of one of the concave bars and the adjusting mechanism for the same. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the concave. Fig.

9 is asectional detail view, enlarged, taken through one side of the casing and the end of one of the concave bars and ad usting means. Fig. 10 isa sectional detail view taken on the line 1010 in Fig. 9.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

The frame or casing Av of the improved machine is supported for transportation upon front and rear axles B, 0 having transporting wheels D and E. The main shaft 1 which carries the threshing cylinder 2 is supported for rotation in suitable bearings adjacent to the front end of the casing. The threshing cylinder is provided in the usual manner with teeth 3 which may be constructed and mounted upon the cylinder in any suitable and convenient well known manner. I

Supported between the sidewalls 1 of the casing, beneaththe cylinder 2, is a grate 5 a portion of which is concentric with the cylinder. Said grate, however, includes a forwardly extending feed board 6 over which the grain to be operated upon is fed to the machine. The grate also includes a rearwardly extending screen portion 7 The grate 5 may be regarded as forming the body portion of the concave,.and adjacent Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

1911. Serial No. 617,664.

to the under face of said grate the sides of the casingof the machine are provided with dovetailed guides 8, for the reception of slides 12 provided near their upper edges with grooves or recesses 6, wherein'the ends of the concave bars 9 are detachably fitted, the front ends of said recesses being nor.- mally obstructed by the guides 8, whereby the bars 9 will be retained when the parts are assembled. Said concave bars are provided with teeth 10 extending through slots 11 in thegrate 5, thus enabling the concave bars to be radially adjusted with reference to the axis of the cylinder 2, the teeth 3 of said cylinder being adapted to cooperate with the teeth 10 of the concave bars for the purpose of-detaching the kernelsfrom the heads or cars of the grain which is fed to the machine. j

The shdes 12 supporting the concave bars 11 are adapted to be engaged by the ad-.

toothed wheels 20 adapted to be engaged by I pawls or dogs, 21 upon the outer side of the casing of the machine, and whereby the noncircular shafts may be held securely at various adjustments. The projecting ends of the shafts 18 enable said shafts to be conveniently manipulated by means of'an ordinary wrench, whereby said shafts may be partly rotated, thus enabling the concave bars to be moved inward or outward with reference to k the axis of the threshing cylinder, as will be readily understood, said concave bars being capable of being secured independently of one another at various adjustments. I It follows that all of: the concave bars may be moved inwardly in such amanner as to cause 7 the teeth 10 to project inwardly through the slots 11 in the grate 5, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, or saidconcave bars may be moved outwardly until all of the teeth are moved out of the path of the teeth '3 of the threshing cylinder. Again,

- hereto annexed. It will also be understood the concave bars may be so adjusted that the teeth ofsomeof said bars will be located in the path of the teeth of the cylinder, while others are not,v the teeth of-said concave bars being variously positioned according to the kind and condition of grain thatis to be operated upon. i

It, will be readily understood that any suitable and convenient number of concave bars may be used, no limitation beingfimade to the preclse number shown'in the drawings that the eoncave'bars maybe variously posit-ioned with reference to the thiigeshing cy inderwithin the scope ot the invention.

By the constructionhereindescribed it will be readily seen =tliat setteral important advantages are gained. Tl-ienon-cireular rock'sha-t'ts 18 may consist of bars of-square I cross section on which the hubs 17 having the radial arms 16' will :be securely held against 1rotation -w-ithout'theiise of lgeys or splines; The sleeves 19 and 19 which are fitted-upon the ends-05f the bars 18 serveto support said bars as oscillation the frameof-the machine; The-pants may very readiybe asseinbed or disasseinbed, including the links 1-5, the "round heads. of

which-may be readily disengaged from the slides 12, when desired, thus enabling said slides to be movedto a position where the bars 9 may be readily detached by simply 'the'fron-t ends oft-said recesses; i V

22 designates an -a-rcuate screen which extends rear-weirdly from the rear edge of :the

sliding-them from the recesses 6'. hen the parts are assembled position for operation, the bars 9 will be retained securely in the recesses bv the guides 8 which obstruct rearward extension 7 of the grate 5,-sa'id ar'cuatescreen being concentric with a shaft 23, the latter being supported for rotation in the sides of the casing. The-shaft 23 is provided with a plurality of lcranks 24 which are preferably equidistantl-y disposed around the aXi's of the shaft, Each :of the cranks 2 lcarr'ies-a rake 25, the head fozfwhich has a loop or f eye 26 mounted for oscillation upon the crank; The :loopor eye which: constitutes the bearing ot each rake is provided: with an upwardlyextending armor handle 27 slidably engaging anapen" turedbloclr28 which issupportedfor 050a, f

latory movement {in the frame or casin g of the machine. Under the construction illusported for oscillation, as described. It will be readily seen-that when the shaft 23 ro-' tates, the rakes '25 will be moved orbitally around the axis of the shaft, the parts being so proportioned that; said rakes Swill a hnost engage the curved screen 22, fthus causing; I

thestraw to be moved rearwardlyoyer said screen bythe action of the rakes. 5 It willy also be nptedthat owing to the spacing of H 'the'cranks-24; upon the shaft 23, the several rakes, will engage the straw in succession,-

"so that'only a portion of the straw will be g 7 moved at any one time by one of therakeg, thus 'lt'acilitating the operation and "a'lso causing the. straw tobe thoroughly agitated, 2

and separated by the action of said rakespfg such agitation and separation being ex tremely reflective. in' sepauatingthe grain which is permitted to I ,p ass. through. athea sipshield lisprovidedito cor-=1. operate with the rakes said shieldaheing: Composed f .a lunality ofxcurved. iOl-'211TQL1 g Y; ate bars,-the terminal ends of whi ehlare suit" Q ably attached- -to. :or: connected ai iith cross-"f bars 32 of the frame. or while the: lower portions of said GEEK-Zed or aioua-te'. bars .QLI Q-SLBbStHJItlEIlIlQy' concentric with-the 1 1 screen 22, The shield composed of thebars; V

31 willpreEeL1tthetITlW fxromabecomingenf tangled with the cranks 24L andgtheShafitQi-l, 4 I

screen 22. v

no matter how mpid ly the-latter may rotated. 'il he shield also .cojipeliates with the screen to constitute .a.-;tzhroa.tor passage. for the straw which avill thus be prevented from being scattered: prom-iseuously through.

the-interior ofthe casing; is v.

vated ridgewifll thus be formed between the threshing concave and the oar-pirate s9reen' 22 over which the threshed material .must. be

thrown by theiaction (gfthe threshing cylinder, said. material being .thu s subjected ?to, a distinctdrop-or fall .onto the screen-22. 1n; order: to pass overthe'ridge b etween lithe threshing concave andithe screen 22, the ma: 'terial m'u'st thus necessaridy the subjected :to a 'neryyiolent agitation which, especially i this early stage of utheqoperation ex tremely effective in separating the: lgrain 7 7 from .the strawand cha fi', and correspond V 1 ingly facilitating that portion of the lsepjag; rating 'processwhich is to be subsequently percfiormed. :It will also be obse'raiedthat.

A 1 will appearby the -foregoing:ldescrip;a tion and by reference to the-,dra-wingsythe arcuate screen 22 is connected atats-lf-nont edge withathe rear edge ofthe screenfporr it tion 57 of the arcu-ate ,coneave 5,; saidv scneen Y i portion 57 fleeing inclined in ianinpward and rearward direction, While -.the donwardpor I j tion of ,thescreen 22 'isssinel i-ned in an ups wand'andiorwardvdiuection. A xd istinct eles 1 the fLfOIltiJOBtlQIlSlOIfithQJCIH'NQd bHISWCQQStlE V tuting the shield .31 are disposed dinectlyin rear of the threshing .cylinder andsthat the curved portions .of saidbarsextend downs" 1 w-ardly below the ridge portionibetween-gthej:

threshing concave and the. screen, thusiip osiltioning said shield bars directly .-:in-;the path of material thrownirear wardly 'by'the action of the thre shing; cylinder, intercepting and checking said material which will then drop upon the screen, thereby greatly increasing the efiiciency of the separating operation;

Supported for rotation in the sides of the casing in rear of the shaft 23 is a shaft 33 carrying a fan F which is composed of radial arms 3% carrying fan blades said blades having radially extending fingers 86 extend downwardly and rearwardly from the rear edge of the screen 22, said fingers being connected with a cross bar 39.

Thirdly, the fan operates to agitate the air within the upper portion of the casing of the machine and to move in a rearward direction the loose chaff, dust and the like without permitting the same to settle upon the straw carriers and thereby interfering injuriously with the operation of the machine to separate the grain from the waste material.

Straw carriers 40 and ll are supported for reciprocation within the casing by means of links 42 at the front end of the carrier 40 and links i3 near-the rear end of the carrier 4:1. The rear end of the front carrier 40 slightly overlaps the forward end of the rear carrier ll which are connected with and supported arms l-l and a5 extending radially from a rock shaft 4:6 which is supported for rotation in the sides of the casing and which is provided at one end with a crank i7. Pivotally connected with the rear end of the strawca-rrier 40 are a plurality of ratchet bars 48 which are suitably connected together by a cross bar 49, the latter being connectedby means of links or pltmen 50 with crank arms 51 extending from the shaft 4:6. It will be seen that when the latter is oscillated, reciprocatory movement in opposite directions will be imparted to the straw carriers Q0 and d1, while the ratchet bars 4E8 will be vibrated vertically independently of the movement of the carrier 40 with which they are connected. By the reciprocatory movement of the carriers 40 and ll, which are of the ordinary ratchet or fishback pattern, the straw will be moved rearwardly within the casing of the machine, being subjected the while to a thorough separation from the grain which is permitted to escape downwardly over the inclined cross bars 52 which constitute part of the straw carriers. By the independent vibratory movement of the ratchet bars 48, the straw as it passes from the carrier elO on to the carrier 41 will be subjected to an additional tossing or shaking, whereby the efliciency of the separating action will be promoted.

Supported for oscillation in the sides of the casing are rock shafts 53 having upwardly extending arms 5 carrying the chafling screen 55 and downwardly extending arms 56 carrying the grain pan 57, said chaiiing screen and grain pan being sup ported in approximately parallel relation i and disposed to incline downwardly and rearwardly, as shown. adapted to discharge at its rear end into a transversely disposed trough or casing 58 wherein a spiral conveyer 59 is mounted for rotation upon a shaft 60 having at one end a pulley 61. Oscillatory movement may be imparted to the screen and pan 57 by means of links 62 leading from the screen to cranks 45 of the shaft or in any other suitable and convenient manner.

Supported in the rear end of the casing,

beneath the rear straw carrier i1 by means of links 40 is a return grain board 63 which receives the grain separated through said carrier and discharges the same, together with dust, chaff and other waste material upon the chaffing screen Hingedly connected with the rear end of the grain pan 57 is a short chaiferfii supported near'its'free end by links 65. Supported beneath the chafi'er 64 is a plurality of sieves 6% below which is a grain pan 65, the latter being tilted or inclined downwardly and forwardly to discharge into the conveyor trough 59. A tailings spout 66 containing a screw conveyer 67 is arranged at the tail end of the machine. A fan 66 supported upon a The grain pan is shaft 67 is arranged for rotation in a housing or casing 68 disposed transversely beneath the casing of the machme directly in front of the conveyer casing 59, said fan casing being provided with a discharge spout 69 through which the blast is discharged beneath the discharge end of the grain pan 57 and over the screens, or sieves 6a and through the rear end of the chafiing screen 55 and the short chafier 64:. The fan casing or housing 68 has an inlet 70 in its front side, said inlet extending the entire width of the casing, and a valve 71 is hingedly supported to obstruct said inlet and to regulate the admission of air through said inlet to the casing. The valve 71 is provided with a ratchet bar 72 engaging a stop 73 upon one end of the casing whereby it may be supported at various adjustments, it being, however, understood that other suitable means may be employed for the purpose of adjusting and securing the said valve. By this construction it will be seen that I avoid the use of air inlets at the ends of the fan casing or housing, the air being taken from beneath the casing of the machine. Owing to this arrangement the fan will operate efli- From th e f regcir g .cleseriptieii, tekei i i n ieet dn w fih r in h to nnee d,

theb pei'etien acl ya-iittiges eft-his imieii tion will be feziclily i iidieirstqdcl by those kil ed the ar m whi h it e n ns h 21min is f to th ee iii th 1 1 1 manger, the concave bars having been pre}.

viei sly adjusted eccorcli g te the i g ti e and I clitiOn ofthe. grain ill such a manner that the most satisfactory resjiilt' .will be z t tainerl, A p r. ti0 1 0ft1 e gi7ain will be separ zitecl through the screen *7 and will .cli'pp upbn the ifrciit eiicl qff the chz fling screen.

The, straw With the lease im Will'be disch ztiged oyerthe screen '7 on to the arcuete screen22 Wherethe straw is agitated and carried a direction by the action flofthe rakes 25,eeperziti011 cf the I; graii from: the. straw being effected th gugh the sCreenQQ frbmwhich the gfziin vs'iill o n t th 'eh n sc en A 'fl ew is clischarged.v from the screen :22 bye; the downwardly ar d. -earwardly extending iii;-

e 39 i i S b t d/ i i h 'etiii andloo'sez ir gactiqn by the .finge11s36pr0- pe be sex e e l n u in lly her jecting'from the wings 01' b1a-cles35 efthe em F the stra w bei lg clis cha ged over the,

fingers 38b1i to the front c ariei"24:0 .Froih the latter it passesover the vibratory ratchet bars 48 oi ,to the rez r car-pier an clbyer which it is discharged at the teilen cl of the machine; Sepa ation of grain, chiif, loose bits 6f heads jwith gra in HClhQ-I'iligIhGIfQi Zt) and the like will "contin iie While. the straw passes over the carriers {l0 and .41 fromi which the" grain. together i with. some aste.

meterials will pass to thesieve 63, chafii ig screen 55, short chafier 6% I and to the sieves" 64, the giain being eventually Irli scharg'ed from the grain'pens 57 ancl' 65. and from the sieve 64 inte the conveyeitrough 59, being at the same time si bjectecl' to the cleansing actionof the blast from the fzui casing 68, whereby the chaff, dust andlwcrthi less mate ial' will be blow gout through the five cents each, by a V w fl in i P- 9 I iieese:

eilemei hele e. except. $12 re a vel 1 ee y me e mp in o th p i -9W: 1 1

l t i. desir t b j nd r sm thatth e ii yer tioi the return griii beard 63 a1'1d. 5.5g the ie e 5%; tege h wi g i 65Q may be .s ppe i ed by mez 'iis pi a; mo hable 19.6 i' li e s-iv il :mQima h ne's. of th 'sehere t e l lfi same flfi n b e I hi at be ause h us "t ereof no 0 a nly W61 ib wtt, hu i njot deemed .e so-l u 'e e itiel t h s ie e l l peltet ii Q T e, t qyed th i hi i =m h ere i P iQ -h6. des r bed, my" lesed e Weekne @ml; P T?h n er- 9 1 i tes f ai ch: ee rye ndbat '1 s W eve mi le fl i dth lik ib ilig pcssiblej tcf'fiidjilist' the g pqavejbaiis he CQlfC llLigtQ thejiizyrioue ki icls 10f g 'jaiigr that I ie to hebpenetecl Upon,endelgo eccoi'di ig VI to theelonglitiqh of s 1cl i .gr ai.ii Whether i be. t me, st g r-mel e an u e ini the, tlj lteshii g' Operation will thus be iI sij ecl. It is ,bb'yiquel that iev es jd fscieensof eyiz gioiis giggles may be utilized acc'ciiding' tothtchzire ctelr .of ivo k to .be' performed;

Hgtving th ie deseiibe clthe 'mventiqnwhm iscl aiiiietlas new, 3 I' chine a frame including In a threshing nia in presei ce f two itnesses DAVID.- LUOA -SL' wi nessk F. D. LOSE P QR j 

